Above: Haiti Foreign Minister Pierre Richard Casimir and Guyana Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Guyana is expressing its “deep concern” over the recent ruling by the Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court that could strip hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent of their citizenship.

The country’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday on the occasion of Haiti Foreign Minister Pierre-Richard Casimir’s visit to Guyana.

In a statement on the occasion of the visit, Guyana’s Foreign Ministry registered its “deep concern” over the recent court decision in the Dominican Republic that could strip hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent of their citizenship.

“This is a violation of the human and political rights of these citizens and the impact of the implementation of this ruling could be catastrophic,” Guyana’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Guyana encourages the Dominican Republic to give serious consideration regarding the application of this ruling in view of the valued contribution made by these persons to the development of the Dominican Republic and more so in safeguarding their human rights.”

Haiti’s Foreign Minister led a delegation including Ambassador Guy Alexandre, Ambassador Jean Claude Cenatus and Marie Helene Sandra Tybule.

Casimir held talks with Guyana Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett during a courtesy call at the Takuba Lodge.